Process of obtaining metallic oxids.



R. SEIFFERT; PROCESS OF OBTAINING METALLIC QXIDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.21,1905' Patented @015. 1908.

r u U y yr (*4 to Fifi ELIGIBLE?) ljlill'hl lilt'l, OF BOEREK, GER-MANY.

F QBTAINING METALLIG GRIDS,

no sconce.

Specification of Lott-ere Eatent.

Patented Uct, 37, 19013.

hpplicatlmi filed, Becem'ber 21, Ill-F05. florist No. 292,798,

w ll whom n be it lrnown that It, ltioimnn filntrrcnr, enneer, e subject German Emperor, reldlllg st Illobrelt, fi ilesie, Germany, have incn'ted certain, new end. useful Improve ncnts in Processes of ()btoining Metallic a; and I do hereby declare the follow 1 u to be a lull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others chilled in the art to which it eppertains to make lind use the same.

This invention relates to a process for extracting zinc and other metal in a volatile oxidized form, from ore and metallurgical products containing the same. In this pFOCfii-ES the material to be treatedto which .tflbe" necessary fuel is added, if it vdoes not contain solficient quantity of combustible stibstences, such as coal, sulfur, etc, is subjected to the notion of an air current which forced through the mass from below in such manner that the Whole charge from top to bottom is brought to the temperature required for voletilizing the zinc and the i other volatile ingredients, the said temperature being bright red to White heat. It is essential in thisproccss that the temperature of voletilimtion should be obtained in the Whole charge as uniformly and as siinultoimoiisly possible, and maintained until volatile ingredients have been completely c polled from oil the parts ofthe charge, and iosiduo snfiiciently deprived of the motels to be extracted.

ti drawing illustrates a device which has t e ed. extremely useful for the practical lying out oi the process. The goods are introduced into 21 cast iron receiver A tapering downwards, the bottom portion of y which, serving for introducing blast into the charge, covered with a perfo 'ated plate S.

in the commencement of the blowing, incandescent fuel is placed on the perforated plate, and. the blast started. ceiver is filled witlbthe material to be treatlt' the material be introduced in Wet state, the pressure of the blast-is at first increased in a very gradual manner, so that the material is in this Way dried and loosened end made porous by the escaping gases and steam. this stage of the process can be donc eway with, 1:5 the material is supplied to the receiver in dry Ste-to. After the materiol. has been sol. 'ently heated and become permeable to the host, it in possible, by in- Thereupon the re face 0 crossing the pressure oi the blast, to bring the whole charge, from the bottom up to the top, in it very short time, to-the temperature required for volatilizin zinc. thus reduced by the caroon, the zinc fumes, owing to the strong supply o1 oxygen, burn as soon as they are generated, and the zinc oxid produced is discharged with the gas current into the condensing pipe. Under the influence of the high pressure-blast the combustion spreads almost instantaneously throughout the Whole mass of the-charge.

The zinc is The beginning of this stage can beensily recognized by the sudden flere up and gener: ation of dense smoke. The bringing about of this therinlc action in the mass, which communicates almost simultaneously to the whole charge, strong; heat being developed at the same time, and the maintaining of the volatilization temperature with the continw ous blowing-in of compressed air, are the necessary conditions for the success ofitbe process, more particularly for obtaining high percentage of the required metal oxide.

The inventor has made the observation, in experiments in which he treated masses 1-1.1} meters deep, that When the volatilizetion temperature does not take place as uniformly and as simultaneously as possible in the whole mass, a considerable portion of the zinc oxid produced, becomes condensed in the upper cooler layers of the charge, or a considerable portion of the zinc is altogether unable to escape from the charge. When, on the other hand, the depth of the charge is considerably smaller, apart from the smaller output, the consumption of blast is considerof the fumes generated. The forces released in very concentrated form, escape, on the contrary, Without any decrease from the surthe charge and pass through the chimney ll into the condensation ipe L,

' it has been besides :t'onnd specially useful,

more particularly when using charges of great depth, and a correspondingly high receiver, to put into the condensation pipe an exhauster or the like, by the suction of which the escape of the fumes, already considerably assisted by the above mentioned method of Working, can be still further accelerated.

Apart from the fact that premature con densation of the fumes generated is avoided, it is of essential importance for obtaining high etliciency as regards extraction of metal, that the generation of metal fumes at this stage of the process should take place as quickly and as intensely as possible, for the fritting of the contents of the receiver which takes place during continuous blowing. stops, of course, the unimpeded passage of the blast, and therefore the escape of the fumes generated and their generation. In

order therefore to avoid loss of metal, it is necessary in this process that, as far as possible. all the zinc should be expelled before the fritting begins.

W'hen material is being treated which melts easily, it is preferable to bring about the slugging of the charge which, in the above described process must be kept back as much as possible, by forced blowing, immediately after the main generating period, and to continue to blow through the completely liquefied charge with constant increase of the pressure of the blast, until the last traces of the zinc are expelled from the charge melted.-

After the blowing process is completed, the receiver A which, as Will be seen from the drawing, is arranged so that it can be moved and tipped on a frame, is brought under the chimney and emptied. 1f the slag at the temperature obtained contains .suliicien v quantity of non-volatile metals, such as coppe then of course such metals can also be extracted therefrom.

The invention is, of course, not limited to the use of the construction of the blowing apparatus, shown in the drawing. It has been, for instance, found, in experiments made with uill'crent materials, that a greater or smaller tapering of the receiver is prefcrablc according to the quality of the material treated. As the volume of the charge considerably decreases during the blowing, as has been proved by experiments, the reccivcr Aran be extended upwards by means of a removable attachment, say, of a cylindrical shape, in order to obtain, at the ginning of the blowing, the gr atcst possible height of charge.

In view of the exceedingly high ten'iperature in the converter during the blowing,thc provision has been made, as shown in the drawing. for cooling he iron walls of the receiver by spraying it by means of a circular rose ll. lnstcad of a converter, could bt' used a suitably arranged shaft furnace.

'inueh lime, dolomite or lime stone in finely divided shape, as is necessary in order that all the SQ may combine with the stronger bases, CaOdVlgO, but if it be desired to obtain in the-end sulfate of zinc (Zr 189,), then atomized water is introduced into the condensation pipe behind the blowing apparatus, the sulfurous acid being converted with the oxid of zinc into sulfate of zinc. The mixing of the ore with the above mentioned compounds of alkaline earths, in the case of ores, the gangue of which-forms a slag which melts too easily, acts at the same time, during the first stage of the process, so as to slightly stiffen the ore and delay the beginning of the slagging.

When it is desired to treat ore which gives a great deal of dust, it is advisable to add to the mixture of ore and coals finely ground lime, dolomite or other suitable binding substance, and themixture formed into lumps or pieces of any desired shape by any approved means as by the employment of an ordinary briqueting machine.

This process has most important advantages, in technical and economical respect, over the well known processes for extracting zinc, for it enables poor ore and waste products, slime residue and the like, to be profitably treated, even ,where all hitherto known processes haveproved inefficient. in many places there are huge heaps of poor galmey which, in view of the present state other metals in a volatile oxidized form,

from ores and metallurgical products containing the same. consisting in first forcing a blast at low pressure through the meet sn'ielting product containing the necessary fuel and introduced into a suitable receiver, after the combustion has been started. for the purpose of. drying the material and male ing it porous, and then in increasing-the pressure of the blast. in such manner, that thetemperature, required for the reduction or volatilization of the metals to be expelled, is attained shortly after the starting of the blowing and is communicated almost si- 3 i'nultaneously throughout the entire charge,

and in continuing the blowing and mainl he process is not limited to purely oxid taining the high temperature until the volatile lllCtfllSiO be extracted have been ex pcl led.

2. The process for extracting zinc and other metals in a volatile, oxidized form,

"lrom ores and metallurgical products containing the same, consisting in mixing the ore or the smelting products containing the ne essary fuel with a suitable binding material. in forming it into lumps or pieces of any desired shape, in forcing through the goods thus prepared and introduced into a :-.nitable receiver, after thestarting of the combustion, first a blast of a weak pressure, for the purpose of drying the material and making it porous, then in increasing the pressure of the blast in such manner that the temperature required 'for the reduction and Yolatilizati on of the metals to be expelled, is obtained, shortly after the starting of the illtll i. throughout the whole depth of -the charge, and in continuing theblowing-until the volatile metals to be extracted have been expelled. y

The process for extracting zinc and other metals in volatile oxidized form, from ores and metallurgical products containing the same. consisting in blowing,-after the starting of combustion, through the ore or smelting product containing the necessary fuel and introduced intola suitable receiver, a blast of such pressure that the temperature required for the reduction and Volatilization ot' the metals to be expelled is obtained throughout the whole depth of the charge shortly after the startinglof the blowing, and in maintaining this temperature by suitable regulation of the pressure of the blast, until the greater portion of the zinc to be extracted has been obtained, and then by accelerating the blowing in converting the contents of the receiver into liquid state and in blowing with the increased pressure through the molten mass until the zinc has been completely expelled.

4. The process for extracting zinc and other metals in-volatile, oxidized .form, from ores and metallurgical products containing the same, consisting in blowing through the ore or smelting product containing the necessary fuel, and brought into a suitable receiver,. imn iediately after starting the combustion, a blast of such pressure that the temperaturerequired for the reduction and volatilization of the metals to be extracted is obtained throughout the whole depth of the charge shortly after the starting of the blast, in maintaining the said temperature by suitable regulation of the pressure of the blast until the greater portion of the zinc to be extracted has been expelled, and simultaneously in assisting and accelerating the generation of the metal fumes and their escape from the charge, by suction over the surface of the charge, then in liquefying the contents of the receiverbyaccelerating the blowing andin continuing the blowing through the liquid mass with an increased pressure until the zinc has been completely expelled.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses RICHARD SEIFFERT. Witnesses:

' A. N. MAN,

N. M. WVITZ. 

